Tag

Museums

All articles tagged with #museums

politics23 days ago•23 min saved

Trump orders signs outside Smithsonian to spotlight alleged bias in history displays

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said about a dozen signs would be installed outside the National Museum of American History warning visitors about what the White House calls ideological bias in the museum’s history presentation, per a Trump order. Each sign costs about $7,000, and this move fits into a broader effort to influence cultural institutions and the national narrative, with potential implications for federal funding and leadership changes.

via The Washington Post|

#donald-trump #executive-orders #museums

history25 days ago•12 min saved

Loot, Legends and the Global Antiquities Trade of the 1970s

A 1972 purchase by New York’s Met of a celebrated 515 BC Euphronios vase raised allegations of illegal excavation. A BBC investigation traced the piece to Italian tomb robbers near Cerveteri, illustrating how the 1970s boom in looted antiquities spurred a global trade—robbers using simple tools and later more advanced gear to locate and smuggle artifacts to dealers, collectors and museums. Despite tighter laws and repatriations (including the vase returning to Italy in 2008), experts say the market for stolen antiquities persists and continues to erode our understanding of the past.

via BBC|

#antiquities #etruscans #history

world29 days ago•134 min saved

France’s Museums Grapple With a Surge of Jewelry-Theft Burglaries

France and other European museums faced a summer spike in burglaries, with criminals targeting gold, gems, coins, and antiques that can be melted down or sold. A record 10 museum burglaries this summer included eight incidents involving jewelry or easily meltable items, including a July 5 theft at the Lalique Museum and a necklace stolen in Châtillon-sur-Seine. The incidents underscore evolving thief tactics and uplifted security costs as museums seek funding amid tight budgets; private donations and new programs, like a foundation-backed pass to access hundreds of museums, are being pursued. Officials warn that museum security is often viewed as weaker than jewelry-store protections, prompting calls for greater investment and vigilance across institutions.

via AP News|

#crime #france #jewelry

world1 month ago•134 min saved

Renoir Heist Highlights Security Gaps in Small Museums

The AP News piece on thefts of Renoir (along with Cézanne and Matisse) in Italy underscores how hard it is to profit from art theft: despite high values, paintings aren’t easily saleable or monetizable, and stolen works often remain unrecovered or are destroyed; criminals sometimes use art as bargaining leverage, while many smaller museums remain vulnerable due to limited funding and aging facilities, prompting calls for stronger security and enforcement to protect cultural heritage.

via AP News|

#art-theft #italy #museums

politics1 month ago•390 min saved

Smithsonian Chief Lonnie Bunch to Step Down Amid Trump-Driven History Clash

Lonnie G. Bunch III, the Smithsonian’s first Black secretary and its first historian, will retire by year’s end after 38 years with the institution, as the Trump administration has criticized how the Smithsonian presents American history and Interior Department officials have threatened to cut funding; Chief Justice Roberts praised his leadership as the Smithsonian prepares a smooth transition.

via NBC News|

#interior-department #lonnie-bunch #museums

arts-and-entertainment1 month ago•47 min saved

Smithsonian Chief Announces Retirement Amid Push to Reframe U.S. History

Lonnie G. Bunch III, the Smithsonian’s first Black secretary, is retiring, a move that comes as President Trump seeks to influence how American history is portrayed. Bunch says the politics surrounding the institution did not drive his decision and pledges to defend Smithsonian independence through his remaining tenure, a period during which he oversaw landmark efforts like founding the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

via The Washington Post|

#arts-and-entertainment #donald-trump #museums

science1 month ago•3 min saved

Old museum bear fur aids modern wildlife crime detection

A PhD student studies Boris the bear’s hair from the 120-year-old taxidermy exhibit at the Museum of Chelmsford to develop a cost-effective alternative to DNA analysis for identifying animal hairs, aiming to help combat wildlife poaching and trafficking by enhancing forensic investigations.

via bbc.com|

#bears #forensic-science #museums

culture1 month ago•6 min saved

George Lucas unveils spaceship-shaped LA museum to celebrate visual storytelling

George Lucas and Mellody Hobson open the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles—eight years after groundbreaking—an airy, spaceship-like 100,000-square-foot venue meant to celebrate visual storytelling across media, from comics and cinema to painting and murals, with minimal wall text to invite personal interpretation.

via The Guardian|

#culture #george-lucas #los-angeles

politics1 month ago•202 min saved

Trump administration hints at cutting Smithsonian ties over activism claims

The Trump administration released a public-letter warning that federal agencies may stop working with the Smithsonian—citing alleged “extreme political activism” at the National Museum of American History and pressing for leadership and ideological changes. The move could disrupt loans, procurement, and discretionary funding, signaling a broader effort to influence the museum’s content. Smithsonian officials insist the institution remains independent and autonomous, as White House scrutiny of its leadership and exhibits has intensified since 2025, with potential board changes anticipated before the next elections.

via CNN|

#board-of-regents #museums #politics

politics2 months ago•6 min saved

Trump Pushes Signage at Smithsonian Over History Narrative

The Smithsonian, home to more than 157 million artifacts across a vast network of museums and education programs, faces political scrutiny from the Trump administration over perceived left-leaning messaging. The White House has ordered signs outside the National Museum of American History directing visitors to a report it says presents an accurate view of the nation's past, intensifying debates about the museum's portrayal of American history while the Smithsonian continues nationwide education outreach and partnerships.

via Fox News|

#education #museums #politics

us-news2 months ago•27 min saved

NYC Museums Fail to Warn Visitors Over Legionnaires’ Exposure

A New York Post review found that major NYC institutions, including the Met and Guggenheim, had cooling towers test positive for Legionella during a city outbreak, yet did not publicly warn visitors who may have been exposed, potentially endangering thousands. The outbreak has killed several and sickened dozens, while some smaller businesses did display notices; officials say remediation occurred and the sites posed no ongoing risk. City lawmakers are pushing to require proactive disclosures and real-time updates about infected areas.

via New York Post|

#guggenheim #legionnaires-disease #metropolitan-museum-of-art

health2 months ago•4 min saved

Culture as a slow-aging hack, study finds

New data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing show that older adults who regularly attend cultural events—such as theater, concerts, museums or art galleries—have slower biological aging. Those who participate every few months averaged about 3 years younger biologically, with weekly participation linked to up to 4% slower aging; mixing different arts and cultural activities may boost the benefit. However, the authors caution that healthier people may be more likely to attend, and other UK studies also support a link between culture and healthier aging.

via New York Post|

#aging #culture #health

health2 months ago•11 min saved

Cultural engagement linked to slower ageing, on par with exercise

A study of around 2,000 adults aged 50 and over found that regular engagement with arts and culture—visiting museums, galleries, cinema and theatre—slows physiological ageing and improves health markers, with effects comparable to frequent exercise.

via The Independent|

#ageing #cinema #culture

science2 months ago•5 min saved

Gus the T. rex heads to auction, fueling debate over fossil ownership and science access

One of the most complete T. rex skeletons, nicknamed Gus, goes to Sotheby’s in New York with a $20–30 million estimate, spotlighting a growing tension between selling fossils as high‑value collectibles and preserving them for research; scientists caution that private sales can cut access for study, while others point to museum loans and donations as potential paths to public science, with calls for fossils to eventually reside in public trusts or museums rather than in private hands.

via The Guardian|

#auction #fossils #museums

style3 months ago•22 min saved

Smithsonian chief rebuts White House activism claim in staff memo

Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III defended the National Museum of American History to staff after a White House report accused the Smithsonian of pushing “extreme political activism,” saying the museum’s work is driven by scholarship, accuracy and telling the fullness of America’s history.

via The Washington Post|

#lonnie-g-bunch-iii #museums #national-museum-of-american-history